


Film Strips and Store Fronts

by borninrain



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi owns an art store, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Relationships, Kinda freeform, Lots of Fuckery, M/M, Minor Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi, Minor Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi, Mutual Pining, Photographer Bokuto Koutarou, Slice of Life, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28885482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/borninrain/pseuds/borninrain
Summary: In which Akaashi finally opens the Art Store he has always wanted, and quickly finds himself comfortable in his new routine. He slowly starts to recognize his regulars and even takes interest in a certain white and black haired male that frequently stands by the case of cameras.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 9
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

The starting process of getting the vacant space ready to open had been one thing after another. Rats in the stockroom, a crack in one of the supporting walls that needed fixing, a strange case hidden above one of the ceiling tiles, and a broken fish tank.

The finding of a rat’s nest on the first day back in the stockroom did however lead to the discovery that screams weren’t audible in the store’s front. It also leads to the discovery that the stockroom of the crystal shop next door could hear the screaming. A bonus for the days Akaashi needed to just scream following an unreasonably rude customer, not so much for the crystal shop employees that hear him shout at least 9 different curse words in succession. Akaashi creates a sort of friendship with the owners next door. Yamaguchi ran the shop with his significant other Tsukishima, though Akaashi only ever heard him referred to as Tsukki. The two were nice enough, Yamaguchi making up for Tsukishima’s curtness. They gave Akaashi some tips on how to get the building owner to fix things. The rent for this store was cheap, so the shape it was in made sense. But he was thankful to hear that the building owner would take care of the damage. 

Opening this art store had been a feat. So much more work had gone into painting the walls and setting up displays and shelves and the glass case in the corner that held both digital and film cameras. It wasn’t like there wasn’t any help and Akaashi was the only one setting up though. There was plenty of help from Sugawara, a college friend with a little too much free time, and Oikawa, an acquaintance he met through Sugawara. They helped with a lot of the painting initially, only to have a paint war. Which inevitably lead to them being locked outside, in the cold until they were ready to act like adults again. They could not help Akaashi paint the days following, instead being tasked with trying to solve the rat problem in the backroom before he needed to use it. It took longer than it should have and a blatantly obvious suggestion from the two men next door for them to call an exterminator. 

“How long were you going to wait and let them think about how to solve the problem?” Tsukishima asks, balancing casually on his stool behind the counter. 

“Well, I was hoping they’d figure it out like 5 hours ago,” Akaashi spoke, leaning onto the glass between him and Tsukishima. It wasn’t his fault when Sugawara and Oikawa get together they lose a little common sense. Looking down into the case Akaashi was leaning on, a crystal catches his eye. “What’s that one?” he asked, pointing.

“That’s Citrine,” Yamaguchi says, appearing behind the counter and shooing Tsukishima away. It’s only about 2 inches wide, but the clear amber color was pretty to Akaashi. He knew enough to know that it was a natural cut of the stone, polished only slightly. “It supposedly brings people prosperity and success.” he continues.

“It’s pretty,” he breathes with a smile. “I have to get back before they break something, likely a display case.”

“See you later. If not today, tomorrow morning with a coffee for me?” Yamaguchi chuckles a little as Akaashi waves him off, making his way out the front door with a chime. He makes his way back to the store slowly. Before walking in, Akaashi stood in front of it to look up at his fresh sign. A Crows Purchase, written in black bold lettering. Sugawara originally questioned the font choice, saying it wasn’t artsy enough. “There aren’t any loops,” Akaashi recalls him saying as he pulled the sign out of the packaging after the sign manufacturer had delivered it. But to him, the bold typeface of San Marino was perfect. Akaashi was exactly where he wanted to be in life, regardless of the struggles with getting started.

With the rat problem fixed a week later, things had been going smoothly during the rest of the setup. Slowly items found their ways onto shelves, occasionally being rearranged and moved to the other side of the store. Along one of the blank walls, Akaashi had set up a 15-gallon fish tank; if not for anything more than his own entertainment on the days in when things were slow in the shop. Being able to watch the fish during the days leading up to the opening had relaxed the man. At least until he came in the day before opening to find water all across the floor of the store. A quick look at the fish tank gave Akaashi all the information he needed. It had cracked. Over the night, a substantial amount of water had leaked onto the floor. Thankfully, there was still some water left just under where the crack stopped and the fish were okay.

Quickly, Akaashi pulled his phone out to call Sugawara and see if he could come out and help him clean up this mess. It was still early, so there was no guarantee that he would even answer Akaashi. “Hello,” a rough voice grumbled on the other end of the line.

“Hey Suga. Is it possible you could come into the shop?” Akaashi spoke, looking around at the mess that needed cleaning. “Like Now.”

“I mean yeah, of course,” Sugawara answered. “Did something happen?” Sleep was heavy in his voice, and Akaashi felt bad for having woken the man up.

He explained what he had walked in on that morning with an exaggerated sigh when he finished. Sugawara said he’d be in as soon as he was awake enough to do so. At the end of that phone call, Akaashi started what was sure to be a long day of work and made his way to the stockroom to find the mop. 

Sugawara had walked in on Akaashi on his hands and knees, sopping up water with a towel. “What’s wrong with the mop?” He asked, walking over to get a better look at what was left of the mess. 

“It’s easier to use a towel than move the displays fully,” Akaashi answered simply. He didn’t move to look at Sugawara, only rung out the towel into the bucket. “It’s honestly just a good thing the floors are concrete and not carpet or anything. The damages could have been worse than they were.”

“You have a point there,” Sugawara spoke, as he went for the mop to run it over the area again. “Still think you’ll be able to open tomorrow?”

“I think so,” Akaashi spoke, finally turning to look at Sugawara. “I’m more worried about the fish at this moment. I have to get a new tank, but don’t really have the time to let it cycle properly for them.” 

Akaashi’s face was full of worry. Not for any of the mess that needed to be cleaned, but for the fish he was certain were stressed by this point. The two kept cleaning in relative silence, making small comments to the other to watch their step or about a product that had gotten wet. 

“We can go to the pet store when we finish up and find a new tank,” Sugawara offered as he rang out the mop for the 5th time. Clean up wasn’t taking as long as either had suspected. It was still early in the morning, only 10 am. “Maybe get lunch after.”

“That sounds good to me,” Akaashi answered, standing up from where he had been on the floor in front of the stand the fish tank stood on. Looking inside, Akaashi could see his fish still moving around in the tank. He gave them a little food, hoping that would appease them for the time being. He was still rather new to the whole fish keeping thing, but he knew keeping them in a broken tank would not be good for them. “Should I put a wet floor sign up in case Oikawa joins us later?” 

“Probably, if not just for a reminded to the two of us,” Sugawara answered as he walked back to the stockroom to empty the mop bucket down the drain there. 

The clean up finishes with no hiccups. They make it to the pet store and Akaashi looks at all the tanks, trying to find the best one for his fish. He settles for another 15-gallon tank, hoping and praying that this one doesn’t also break in the middle of the night. Oikawa joins them later, having brought takeout so that they could still set up the new tank as they ate. They mostly make idle chatter about the opening tomorrow and if Akaashi wants to have a little party when he closes for the day. 

“I think I’d rather just relax honestly,” Akaashi says as he moved decorative pieces around in the tank’s substrate. “I’m kind of exhausted with all the work we’ve been putting into this, you know.”

“I get that,” Sugawara says from where he is sitting by the cash register munching on his spicy tofu. “How about a couple of drinks just us three then?” He offers.

“I think I could manage that,” Akaashi says, turning to smile at them. “I doubt tomorrow will be a busy day, anyway.”

Akaashi wasn’t wrong, but he still saw more people than he thought he would. The people that came in and out of the doors of his store on the first day made up a wide variety. Though mostly it was people just coming in to see what the new store in the area was. Many an elder couple would come through the doors and wander through the isles that made up his store. Some would stop to observe the fish. He was thankful to see they had all made it through the night, but was still watching them closely because the tank hadn’t properly cycled before he had to place them in. A handful of customers would stop and look at the cameras that were sitting in a glass case. 

He welcomed everyone that came into the store with a small smile. Akaashi was happy to finally be doing this. Like really doing this. A Crow’s Purchase was finally open, not in the construction process, not in the idea stage. It was really open. 

On his first day, he made a couple of sales. Akaashi honestly hadn’t expected to sell anything on the first day. Mostly just to have people coming in and out to check out what he carried and the type of store he had. He also joined Oikawa and Sugawara for a few drinks that night after closing. 

“To Akaashi!” Sugawara shouted, holding his glass high in the air. “To following your dreams and opening one of the most varied art stores I have ever seen!”

“To Akaashi!” Oikawa followed, “For pushing through every obstacle thrown at him while trying to open.”

“To the amazing friends I had to help!” Akaashi joins in after them with a laugh. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you two.” And he wouldn’t have. He probably would still be setting up displays if he hadn’t had their help. For that, he was really thankful. Akaashi was content with life at that moment and looked forward to what the next days had to bring to him.


	2. Chapter 2

The days following the grand opening seemed just as busy as that first day. He saw fresh faces mostly, only occasionally noticing when teens would come in and then come back either later that afternoon or the next day with a parent to buy them a sketchbook or pencils. With every chime of the bell on the door, he would greet the customers with a soft smile and a “Welcome in. Let me know if I can help you with anything.” 

When ringing up the purchases for customers, Akaashi made a point to ask what they were getting and what project they had going on. One elder woman had picked up several large sheets of watercolor paper. When asked about it, she went on about how she was going to have her seven grandchildren over to just paint on the sheets. It was something they did once a year, and she always enjoyed watching the kids have fun goofing around with each other as they did so. Akaashi thought it was sweet that it was something they continued to do. He secretly hoped he would see her again a year from now picking up paper again. 

Some days he watched customers come and go without ringing up a single purchase. After a month of being open, Akaashi had noticed that he did have some regulars. One was the elder woman who had bought the watercolor paper. He had learned that her name was Edna. She often only bought one thing here and there, typically from the painting section of the store. Another was a boy with orange hair, though he typically hung around the fish tank more often than not. Akaashi didn’t mind though because he bought various types of art supplies. He figured the kid was experimenting and trying to find what medium he liked the most. Another was a man who liked to stand by the case of cameras. Akaashi always asked if he needed any help or wanted to take a look at anything. Often he would get the response of a small smile and the shake of his head. Akaashi had assumed the man to be around his age, tall with hair that was both white and black.

The more that the man came by, the more Akaashi took glances at the man. He never wanted any help, but Akaashi wondered if he was just too shy to ask about whatever camera he was interested in.

“You know if you keep staring like that, he’s gonna think you have a problem with him,” Sugawara spoke up. The man had just walked up to the counter that Akaashi was sitting behind. 

“I wasn’t staring,” Akaashi spoke, moving his gaze to Sugawara. “It’s been pretty slow today, you don’t have to come in.”

“Yeah, I know. I got your text.” Sugawara spoke leaning forward onto his elbow resting his chin in his hand. “Figured, I’d swing by and keep you company for a bit.” 

“Oikawa busy?” Akaashi said with a soft laugh. He shooed Sugawara to the side, so that he could ring up a purchase. A teenage girl made the purchase, she was buying a small pan set of watercolors. Akaashi held a light conversation with her through the purchase, giving a small smile and wishing her a good day as he turned to leave. 

“Yeah, he has classes until 6 pm,” Sugawara spoke with a sigh. “Why did he decide he needed a master's degree of all things? He has so little free time.”

“Maybe you just have too much free time?” Akaashi countered. He took this time to look back at the camera’s. The man who had been standing there was now gone. His eyes quickly flicked over to the door as it chimed. The man was gone, replaced by someone else walking in. Rooster-like hair let Akaashi know that it wasn’t another customer, and just his friend Kuroo. 

“I have just the right amount of free time, thank you,” Sugawara sassed. “Sorry I made you miss your chance with the two-toned hair guy. Akaashi rolled his eyes, looking at Kuroo who was walking up to them. 

“Afternoon you two,” Kuroo spoke, leaning onto the counter as soon as he got to the counter. 

“Just stopping in on your way to flirt with the store owner down the way?” Sugawara asked.

“You know it,” Kuroo answers. “Gotta stop by and say hi to my friends first, though. Anything new with you guys?”

“Sugawara has too much free time,” Akaashi speaks up, shooing them both to the side so he can ring up a purchase. He holds a small conversation with the customer, a new face to him, as he rings them up. Wishing them a good day as they leave, he turns back to his friends. Kuroo teases Sugawara about having free time, because Oikawa isn’t as readily available for his attention.

“Yeah, well Akaashi has been making eyes at one of his customers,” Sugawara waits to say this until Akaashi is an active member of the conversation again. 

“I wasn’t making eyes at him. I was checking to see if he needed any help.” Akaashi pointed out. “He stands by the camera’s and always looks, but never tries to hold or buy anything. Plus, he’s in all the time, it’s hard not to notice.”

“Maybe he’s just waiting for you to ask?” Kuroo offers up. But Akaashi has asked. He asks every time he notices the man looking at the cameras.

“I do ask.” Akaashi says flatly. “Want to work at the register Sugawara? I want to restock some stuff.”

“Yeah, sure.” Sugawara says, moving behind the counter. “Maybe you just scare him? You got a pretty serious looking face, you know.” 

“Sugawara has a point there. You do look serious all the time.” Kuroo speaks up, stretching his arms slightly above his head. Kuroo follows Akaashi back into the stockroom, taking the box that Akaashi has picked up initially. “Which isle?”

“Painting,” Akaashi says. “Thank you.” He takes this moment to grab another box, that he drops off on top of the camera display. Walking through the aisles, Akaashi makes his way to where the painting supplies and Kuroo are. 

“You could just kick the guy out, you know,” Kuroo says, opening the box for Akaashi. 

“You know I don’t pay you right?” Akaashi asked, shooing the man away from the box. “Also, he hasn’t been a problem, and I let an orange hair kid come in to look at the fish, so it would be a double standard.” 

Kuroo let out a laugh as he watched Akaashi crouch down to pull items from the box. “That’s fair. Maybe offer to order whatever it is he’s looking for if you don’t have it?” 

“Well, he never asks for help or takes it when I offer it, so I don’t really know what more I can do for the man,” Akaashi sighs. He moved items from the box onto shelves slowly. “How’s the crush on the game store owner going?” He tries to change the subject, hoping they can drop the topic. It isn’t like the man was causing any trouble for Akaashi by standing in his store looking every so often. He wasn’t noticing any stolen things when he did inventory. Akaashi also didn’t understand why Kuroo was the one talking about it, when he hadn’t ever witnessed the man in the store before. 

“It’s going, I don’t know if I’m making any headway on flirting though. Kenma is kind of shy,” he answers Akaashi. When Akaashi is done with the box, he takes it from him, moving it back to the stockroom. “My pal Bokuto and I are going to meet over there in like 15 minutes. So, we will see if I can at least get his number today.” Akaashi shook his head at the man. Kuroo had mentioned getting the mans’ number every time he came into A Crows Purchase before going in. It had been weeks at this point and he still had no number. 

“If you can get the number, I’ll buy you a drink!” Sugawara pipes in. He had been listening to the conversation, likely bored from where he sat behind the counter. 

“I’ll be sure to take you up on that!” Kuroo directed back to Sugawara. “I should get going, Bokuto is probably waiting for me now. One of these days I’ll bring him in and introduce you guys!” 

Akaashi had almost forgotten he hadn’t met this friend of Kuroo’s, though he was often talked about when Kuroo told stories. “Have fun and don’t come back without a phone number,” Akaashi says, patting the man on the back before turning to Sugawara. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take my lunch. I’ll be next door at Crystal Crossroads if you need me.”

Sugawara waved his hand at the two of them. While Kuroo left to go find his friend, Akaashi went back into the employee break room/office to grab his leftover coffee from the morning before moving to make his way next door. 

When he walked into Crystal Crossroads, Yamaguchi was sitting behind the counter. Akaashi walked up to him leaning over the counter looking at the contents inside. “Tsukishima doing a reading?” Akaashi asked, nodding over at the door. 

“Yeah, one of our regulars.” Yamaguchi says with a smile. The younger man always smiled when he spoke to others. Akaashi still wasn’t sure if he was just that friendly, or relieved that people wanted to be acquainted with him. 

“I have a question,” Akaashi starts looking back down at the case. Some new crystals were added since the last time he had come in to say hello. There were also a couple new fossils on the bottom shelf. “Do you have customers that come in often and only look at things?”

“Sometimes, but they usually buy something, eventually.” Yamaguchi says, looking down to see what Akaashi might be looking at. “Oftentimes they just have to save up money before they can afford to get what they want.” Akaashi nods at this. That could make sense as to why the man just stares at the camera display. Maybe just making sure the one he wants is still there. 

Akaashi spends a half hour at Crystal Crossroads. His conversation with Yamaguchi trails away from business talk to that of weekend plans. Akaashi had posted a sign in his door saying that he would be closed Saturday in addition to Sunday. He had wanted to take the time for himself to get out and explore some. He hadn’t taken time for himself to just get out and sketch a little. Akaashi wasn’t one hundred percent sure what he was going to do exactly, but he did plan on taking the train out to the beach. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima had a relaxing weekend planned, just movie marathons and lots of takeout. 

Bidding farewell to the couple, he made his way back to A Crow’s Purchase. Happy to find that Sugawara had kept it in intake while he was gone. There were more customers inside than there were when he left, but the sight made him happy. Sugawara left soon after he returned, something about Oikawa being done with classes for the day. Akaashi wondered how long it would be until the two of them officially announce they’re together. 

He took his time with the box of film he was shelving onto the wall behind the case of cameras. It was getting later into the evening and fewer people were coming in. Akaashi debated closing up a little early tonight when he heard the chime of the door opening. He didn't pay much attention to it, assuming they were looking for something in a different part of the store as he continued to stock film. 

“Excuse me,” a voice sounded behind him. When Akaashi turned around, he was faced with the two-toned hair guy. “I was wondering if I could ask you something?” 


	3. Chapter 3

“How much do you know about film cameras?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Had he just been embarrassed to ask for help, Akaashi wondered. 

“Enough to be of some help,” Akaashi answered, moving the box of film he was stocking out of the way. “Do you have an idea of what you’re looking for?”

“Kind of?” It came out as more of a question. “I’ve tried to do a little research, but was having a hard time. I’ve never used one before, but I want to invest in a good one. Not like one of those disposables you know?” He was stumbling slightly over his words. Looking at him up close, Akaashi wondered if he bleached the ends of his hair. 

“You want something that you can use more than one lens on?” Akaashi asked, before continuing. “Do you have experience with digital cameras?”

“Yeah, and SLR right? Yes I do, I work as a photographer, but I’ve been wanting to expand my horizons a little with the equipment I use,” the man rambled. Akaashi thought it was a little cute the amount of excitement he held in his voice as he spoke. 

“Yes it would be an SLR,” Akaashi answered. “I have a couple cameras that I think will be a good starting point. What kind of photography do you like to do? That could help in the type of lenses you start with.” Akaashi took a quick look at the time, realizing he closed soon continued. “Is it possible for you to come in tomorrow? So we can get you set up with a camera and continue talking without being rushed?” 

The man had a quick look of panic flash across his face. Akaashi noticed he was rather easy to read. “Oh! Of course! Sorry if I kept you too long.” He spoke rubbing the back of his head. 

“I don’t close for another 10 minutes, I just didn’t want you to feel rushed over anything.” Akaashi spoke softly, closing the box he had been pulling items from. 

“Oh.. yeah that makes sense,” the man chuckled a little. “I also do sports photography for the most part. To answer that question.” Akaashi looked up at him and could tell he felt bad about being in here so late. He looked half a second from running away honestly.

“Okay, I’ll have some stuff pulled and put to the side for you to look at.” Akaashi spoke, the corners of his mouth turning up ever so lightly. 

“Thank you…” he trailed off. Probably panicking he didn’t know his name.

“Akaashi,” he offered up, hoping that’s what he was looking for. 

“Yes, thank you Akaashi,” the man said again before turning and heading to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” He shouted with a wave as he exited with a ring of the bell. 

Akaashi took the box back into the stockroom before moving to the front door to lock it. He worked through the motions of closing the store; putting money into the safe and wiping down counters. He sent a quick text to Oikawa asking if he and Sugawara wanted to get drinks in about a half hour. After getting a confirmation text with plans to meet at the usual place Akaashi got out a small box. 

In the small box he placed a camera body and three different lenses. Akaashi found himself debating on putting a fourth lens in. The man said he did sports photography, but not what sport. After weighing the thoughts he decided against it and would bring it up tomorrow. Placing the box to the side, Akaashi grabbed for his coat and scarf before leaving for the night. 

The walk to the bar they often went to wasn’t far from the shop. Though a long enough walk that Akaashi was cold shivering by the time he got inside. It didn’t take long for Akaashi to find his two friends, sitting at a booth off to the side. He pulled the scarf off of his neck as he walked over. “Hey you two,” he spoke as he sat in the booth.

“Hello working man,” Oikawa shouted after taking a sip of his drink.

“I see you got started without me,” he laughs looking between them. Both about half way through their current drinks. 

“Well if you got here a little faster, you’d be at the same spot as us.” Sugawara laughs, flagging down a waitress to get Akaashi a drink. 

“I was putting some stuff to the side for that two-toned hair guy for tomorrow.” Akaashi said nonchalantly while smiling at the waitress and ordering a cider. 

“You spoke to him!” Sugawara shouts across the table. “Like real words?”

“That is how speaking works,” Akaashi answers. “He wants to get a film camera set up. But came in too close to closing to really be able to talk over what he was wanting.” Akaashi isn’t sure why Sugawara is so invested in the fact he’s talked to the man. Could he admit he was sort of fun to talk to? Yeah, but he still wasn’t sure why it was important. 

“Did you get his name?” Oikawa asked from his seat, sipping on his drink.

“Well no.” Akaashi’s brows furrowed, he had told the man his name but didn’t get one back. “Why’re you being so weird about it though? He’s just a customer.”

“Yes. But a cute customer.” Sugawara countered, finishing off his glass. Akaashi rolled his eyes at that. He really didn’t see what the big deal was. Akaashi was just glad he could be of some help to the man. Film photography was his favorite art form. There is a lot that can be done in the dark room to edit and mess with the images. 

The night went on with the three of them continuing to drink. Chatting about anything and everything. Oikawa talks about his courses and how they’re killing him slowly. Sugawara complained about how he was having a hard time finding teaching jobs in the area and how he doesn’t want to have to move away to find proper work. Akaashi reminded him he was always welcome to work at A Crow’s Purchase until he found something better. Akaashi enjoyed spending time with his friends. 

It was almost two in the morning by the time Akaashi had made it home to his apartment. He had to be up in roughly four hours to open the store, but he was content with staying out as late as he did regardless. It wasn’t often they got to spend quality time together like that. His apartment was quiet as he walked through the living room. The apartment was cluttered with books, photos, all sorts of camera equipment, amongst other things. He walked past the first bedroom, easily converted into a darkroom to develop images and film when he got the chance. As Akaashi crawled into bed, he fell asleep within minutes of his head hitting the pillow. 

Having slept through his alarm Akaashi found himself rushing the next morning. Practically running out his door without shoes when he realized it was two hours past the time he was supposed to open. Akaashi had never been late like this before, ever. He always made sure he was exactly 15 minutes early to any sort of appointment, class, meeting, anything of importance really. The fact he had slept in like that was unreasonable. How on earth could he have let himself get so carried away in how good of a time he had with his friends the night before. 

Thoughts were racing a mile a minute through his head. Were people waiting for him to open? Were they worried that he wasn’t open yet? Had he caused someone to be worried about his well being? Did he need to post an apology notice on the door? Does he have time to get the store in order first, or should he just be open as soon as he gets there? 

He felt itchy all over. It felt like every alarm signal in his body was going off. He ran around the corner that his store was on. Someone was waiting by the door.  _ Oh no _ . “I’m so sorry I’m late!” Akaashi shouts, skidding to a stop in front of the door. He didn’t even look up to see who was waiting, just struggled with shaky hands to get the door unlocked and open. 

“It’s okay..” a voice says. He recognizes it as the man from yesterday. The man with two-toned hair that came in all the time. The man whose name he hadn’t even bothered to ask for. “Hey. Are you okay? You’re shaking pretty bad.” 

“Oh no. I’m fine. It’s fine.” Akaashi speaks, turning to face the man, shaking his hands in front of him. He finally gets the door open and steps inside. “I’m sorry if you’ve been waiting long. I sort of slept through my alarm.” His voice is shaky, he can hear it himself. 

“I haven’t been here long.” The tone is soft. Looking at the man his facial features are relaxed, he’s looking forward with what Akaashi only assumed was pity. “If you need a moment, take it. I can wait.” 

The two stepped inside the shop. Akaashi was still shaking as he made his way to the back of the store. He needed to calm down. Maybe he should just add the day to his long weekend. Go hide away in his room until he could think in a straight line again. Handle this man and then close. He turned to look at the front of the store, he hadn’t turned the open sign around yet so he could if he really wanted to. 

Akaashi took a shaky breath before turning around again. No. He needed to be open. He couldn’t just do whatever he wanted because he owns the store. He still has expenses he needs to be able to pay for. Maybe he could just call Sugawara in. 

“So, I put some stuff aside in a box for you.” Akaashi starts. “Let me go get it.” He walks back into the break room/office space to retrieve the box. When he gets back the man is standing by the front counter. “So, um. I have a camera body here. It’s a Canon AE-1. As well as three lenses. Just a standard 35mm-85mm lens , a short telephoto lens, and a medium telephoto lens. The distance you can shoot from gets longer with each lens you go up.” he explains pulling things out as he goes. “Of course you don’t need to buy all the lenses. You didn’t specify which sport you photographed, so I wanted to give you some options.”

Akaashi felt like he was rambling to the man. If he has experience with photography of course he knows how lenses work. Looking at the man he was met with eager eyes and a wide smile. It was weirdly calming for Akaashi. 

“Thank you.” he says quietly. “For putting them to the side for me.” 

“It’s no problem. Are you familiar with using the manual settings on your DSLR?” Akaashi asked. The man nodded in affirmation, which prompted Akaashi to continue. He talked about how similar a film camera was to manual settings on a DSLR. He explained how to read the light meter when he looked through the viewfinder, amongst other things. The more Akaashi talked about the film camera and its similarities and differences to a DSLR, the more Akaashi could feel himself calming down. By the time he asked if the man had any questions, he finally felt as if he was on solid ground again. 

“Yeah actually. Where do I go to develop the film? Or have it developed for me I guess.” He asked scratching the back of his neck. 

“Oh! You can bring it back to me and I can develop it for you.” Akaashi answered with a soft smile. The two talked more about the camera and the type of sports the man photographed as Akaashi rang up his purchase. Despite the rough start to his morning, it had seemed to smooth out rather quickly. By the time the man was walking out the door Akaashi didn’t feel the need to call Sugawara and see if he would come in anymore. 


	4. Chapter 4

Akaashi still called Sugawara regardless. He knew he needed to relax more, and that keeping busy in the store would not do that for him. It would be easier to dip if needed if Sugawara was already here and expecting the weird mood Akaashi was in today. 

The phone call was a short one, and it was mentioned that Oikawa would likely come in as well. Akaashi didn’t mind this. If he needed to leave, Oikawa would keep Sugawara company, like he did most of their nights. Akaashi took his time going through the motions of his regular morning routine when he opened. Making sure the cash register was properly tilled in, luckily the man had paid with card earlier so Akaashi didn’t have to worry about making change. He made sure that the open sign was flipped and facing the street and that the fish were fed. Monday after his long weekend, he would need to take extra time after closing to do a water change and clean the tank.

Akaashi was in the middle of dusting shelves when both Sugawara and Oikawa walked through the door. Flashing a soft smile at the two of them, he continued what he was doing. Having the two there calmed Akaashi’s nerves a little. Often when he runs late like he had today, he wouldn’t go in at all. But with someone waiting for him, it was impossible to just pretend he was sick for the day, to let himself calm his own nerves in the privacy of his bed. He would have felt guilty if he did.

“Late morning?” Sugawara asked gingerly as he took a seat behind the counter. Akaashi gave a silent nod, moving to put away the cleaning supplies in his hands. “Why didn’t you just stay closed for the day then?”

“That guy came in for his camera equipment. I couldn’t stay home without feeling even worse..” Akaashi mumbles. He really wouldn’t have been able to. 

“Still didn’t learn his name though?” Oikawa interjects. Akaashi hadn’t. It wasn’t his primary concern for the morning. 

“Wasn’t exactly on my mind,” he states. “Was too busy having an anxiety attack for sleeping in and being two hours late this morning.” 

“Two hours?” Sugawara nearly shouts from his seat. “You’ve never done that when we’ve gone out before.” Akaashi knew that and was upset about it. He had never been late or slept in like that, no matter what time he got home from hanging out with these two. He wasn’t sure what the problem had been, and it was almost an itchy feeling under his skin. 

“Maybe you should head home early for the day?” Oikawa suggested from where he was standing in the paint supply aisle. Akaashi could hear him moving things, but didn’t want to think too much on what that could mean. 

“I need to make a list of everything I need to get done on Monday first,” Akaashi sighed. He would feel better about leaving after making a list. After feeling like he at least did one thing that day. Just a simple list. Akaashi moved to sit just inside the office space at the small desk he had in there. It was easy to locate a scrap piece of paper and a pen, considering what he sells. 

The list was easy to make. It was simple and rather short, all things considered. 

  * Water change in Fish Tank
  * Inventory 
  * Product order
  * Wash Windows



Having everything he would need to get done around the store itself calmed him. Being able to know exactly what needed to get done and check them off as he did it was one of his favorite feelings. This wasn’t the only like he was likely to make today. Akaashi knew as soon as he made it home he would make another. Taking the list he made, he tacked it up onto the cork board behind the computer monitor. Easy to find when he would come back in on Monday. 

With a soft sigh, Akaashi made his way back to the front. “Can you lock up when you’re done?” Akaashi asked while handing off a set of keys to Sugawara. Oikawa was off at the front of the store, moving around the pieces of art that sat on easels in the window. 

“Yeah, I can.” A simple answer came from Sugawara. He took the keys that were outstretched to him while giving his own look to Oikawa. Behind his eyes was a soft look, one he only ever had for the other man. Akaashi appreciated what the two of them had together, it was sweet and only for them. The pair hadn’t come out and said they’re together yet, but it was easy to tell by the way they interacted with one another. 

“I’m gonna go,” Akaashi almost whispered. “I’ll text you when I get home.” 

“Please do.” Sugawara said, resting a hand on the other man’s bicep. 

The walk home was much calmer than his walk to work this morning. He wasn’t in a rush and had nothing else to do that day. Akaashi took his time, taking a longer path on his way home. He strolled through a park that was on his half way point, wishing he had thought to grab his own film camera in the rush he had that morning. It was a silly wish, he probably wouldn’t have brought it on a regular day either. But the geese and blooming flora gave off a peaceful feeling. One that we would have liked to capture. 

Akaashi is stepping over the bridge when he sees a familiar form. Two-toned spiked hair was standing about halfway over the bridge. The Camera he bought this morning held close to his face. Akaashi debated going a different way, but decided that was dumb. The likelihood the other man noticed him was rather low. Stepping carefully across the bridge, Akaashi looked out at the water to see what the man may be taking photos of.

A pair of red-crowned cranes stood out in the water, just off from another small group of cranes. They were a gorgeous sight, standing out in contrast to the dark color of the water. Their stark white bodies easy to pick out. Akaashi let out a low whistle. He had seen none in person in a while. “Gorgeous, right?” Came the voice of the man whose attention he wasn’t trying to pull. Maybe the whistle wasn’t a smart idea. 

“They really are,” Comes Akaash’s soft answer. The birds were gorgeous. Akaashi often photographed the birds he saw around. His plans for Saturday evening were to get photos of the Blakiston’s Fish Owl that some had said to see in the area recently. They weren’t a common bird anymore because of habitat loss, but Akaashi still wanted to try for a photo. 

“I really like the camera so far… Akaashi,” the man spoke his name as though he was unsure. Akaashi gave a soft nod to the man, signaling that he got his name correct. 

“I’m glad, I’m upset I didn’t grab my own today.” Akaashi was still looking out over the water. The peaceful sound of the water relaxing him more. 

“My name is Bokuto, by the way..” a name finally given to the man. Though sounding rather familiar to Akaashi. “I figured birds would be a good practice until Volleyball starts back up again. With how quickly they can move.”

“Most wildlife is a suitable substitute if you need something quick moving,” Akaashi spoke, turning to look at Bokuto with a soft smile. The other man was already looking at Akaashi, close enough that his gaze was turned down slightly. “Are you a specific team's photographer?” he found himself asking. The smile that spread across the other man’s face was almost blinding. 

“No, I take photos for a local sports paper. Volleyball is just my favorite sport to photograph, so I get to do those games most often.” Bokuto’s voice was soft. You could tell how much he enjoyed the sport. “Shouldn’t you be at your store right now?” his question sounded much more rushed than his previous statement.

“Usually, I took an early day though.” Akaashi spoke softly. He hoped Bokuto wouldn’t ask any more questions of him. Turning his head, he looked back over at the water. The birds were gone now, the soft ripple of water vacant. 

“That’s cool!” it was a shout. “Anything planned with the rest of your day off?” Akaashi just shook his head. He really didn’t have anything planned. 

“Just heading home.” He looked at Bokuto again. His camera was held up again, facing out at the water. Nothing was there but the landscape now, but it would still make a wonderful photo. 

“A quiet day is always good,” Bokuto said, “I’m just testing the camera, I’ve almost filled an entire roll of film already.” There was a quiet laugh following the sentence. It had only been a couple of hours, so he must have been excited to be able to take photos. 

“Lots of inspiration?” Akaashi asked softly. He was leaning against the railing now, looking at the water below them. Just under the water's surface, the movement of little fish could be seen. Swimming amongst the bunches of aquatic plants that found home there. 

“Mostly just dicking around,” Came Bokuto's answer. “What do you like to take photos of?” Akaashi thought for a moment, for someone who wanted to avoid this man's gaze and just get home, he sure was sticking around for conversation. He felt at ease though, the conversation moving smoothly between the two of them. Though he still couldn’t think of where he recognized the man’s name from.

“Mostly nature, I really like the birds.” It came out as a whisper. A lull in the conversation, not awkward but pleasant. Akaashi looked at his watch. They had been standing there for roughly an hour now. He needed to get home soon and probably eat something if the noise his stomach was making was any indicator of his hunger. “If you bring your film by on Monday, I can get it developed for you.” 

“That would be awesome!” There was excitement clear in his tone. Akaashi let out a soft chuckle as he moved to step around the other man. 

“Have a good afternoon Bokuto,” his voice was level, and he didn’t miss the smile that was shown to him as he spoke. 

“You too! I’ll probably see you Monday then,” Bokuto gave him a wave before moving in the opposite direction. Akaashi continued his walk home slowly. Reflecting on the conversation he just had. He didn’t feel anxious when talking to Bokuto, which couldn’t have been a bad thing in total. Akaashi had a feeling he would be seeing the man often with sets of film in the store. Luckily it didn’t cost much in materials or time to develop film and Akaashi found it to be a rather therapeutic task to begin with. 

When Akaashi walked into his door at home, it was easily 2pm. His stomach gurgling more than it had at the park now. There wasn’t much in his fridge to eat, so he decided on a rather easy bowl of ramen. He sat on his couch to eat, sinking easily back into the velvet green fabric. He hadn’t been around his apartment as often with A Crow’s Purchase taking up most of his time. Akaashi slowly flipped through channels on his tv while he ate, nothing really catching his attention. 

After finishing his lunch, Akaashi set his dish into the sink. He’d wash them later, after his dinner. Currently setting out to make a list of what he needs to get done and wants to get done for his long weekend. Which was really just a regular weekend for most other people. He had to go into his spare bedroom/darkroom to get a sheet of paper and a pen. It was an easy list to think up. Starting with his general chores. 

  * Dust
  * Laundry
  * Grocery Shopping
  * Water plants
  * Blakiston Fish Owl Photo
  * Bookstore 
  * Develop film



The list is short. But it’s simple and rather easy for Akaashi. He knows he will get all of it done. But for now he could curl back up on his couch, flipping through the channels again. Curling into the plush throw blanket, he pulled from the back of the couch. 

Akaashi felt more at ease than he had this morning, even more so than when he had left the store. He wasn’t sure if it had to do with the fact he had gone home early, the long walk he had taken through the park, or the weirdly calming effect the man named Bokuto had on him. He wasn’t sure he cared either way.


End file.
